Current Works Guide Service
  • (231) 883-8156
  • ted@current-works.com
  • Book a trip
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Home
  • Guide Trips & More
    • Guide Trips & Pricing
    • Casting Lessons
    • Gift Certificates
    • Book a Trip
  • Fishing Report
  • Fish & Seasons
    • Steelhead
    • Trout
    • Smallmouth Bass
    • Salmon
    • Bluegill / Panfish / Bass
    • Golden Bones / Carp
  • Rivers & Hatches
    • Upper Manistee River
    • Lower Manistee River
    • Betsie River
    • Boardman River
    • Hatch Chart
  • Fly Tying
  • Articles
  • Gallery
  • About
    • About Your Guide
    • Testimonials
    • Newsletter
    • Area Information

Posts tagged "great lakes"

Golden Bones / Carp

Posted by Ted Kraimer - January 8, 2023

Carp Scales

Carp Fishing West Grand Traverse Bay

Nice Mouth

Okay, admit it, you’re curious about the buzz these fish have brought to the sport of fly fishing, aren’t you?

Once considered a trash fish, anglers who have pursued them with the fly and fly rod have developed a respect for these brutes. While not exactly like a bonefish as some have claimed, I like to compare them to Redfish. When hooked, it’s similar to being attached to a big truck — they pull hard and steadily while showing you what color your backing is, often a few times before landing them. But the fight is only part of getting your “carp on a fly” fix.

Getting these fish to eat is not what you might think. They demand well-presented flies and the right fly pattern. Like most species of fish, you can have days when they are “on,” but more often than not, you need to get them to eat. This is where the fun and challenge is, and knowing when and where pays off.

As Featured in Simms Midwest Tour

RA Beattie hooked up with Current Works guide Ted Kraimer and The Northern Angler‘s Brian Pitser to fish the flats of Grand Traverse Bay for Simms Midwest Tour video series. Watch this short clip for a first-hand look at Traverse City area carp fishing.

Carp Fly Fishing in Traverse CityWhen & Where

The season for carp on the flats of Grand Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan ranges from mid-May through mid-July. Weather and hence water temperature are a big factors determining success in finding fish; you might find them happily eating on a flat one day and few fish there the next day not eating. You must get to know their idiosyncrasies to be successful with carp fishing day after day. Since the carp season tends to overlap our best dry fly and hatch season for trout, consider fishing subsurface in the day for carp, then fish the Boardman or Upper Manistee river with dries for trout in the evening.

Bonus Fish - Smallmouth BassBonus Fish

Often, Smallmouth Bass can be found in the shallows and flats looking to eat. Considered one of the best Smallmouth fisheries in the country, Grand Traverse Bay, both East and West, produce fish over five pounds. They are not only are exciting to fish to, but also to bring in with their ability to jump out of the water.

Equipment

Carp Flies for the Great Lakes - Photo Courtesy of R.A. Beattie

Carp Flies – Photo Courtesy of R.A. Beattie

Like a number of saltwater species, I prefer to use 7 – 9 weight rods with Scientific Angler’s Redfish fly line, saltwater tapered leaders with fluorocarbon tippets. Crayfish and nymph patterns are my personal favorite patterns to use. These same flies are also preferred by the Smallmouth Bass that often “swim with the fishes” with my first choice always being a crayfish pattern.

This is no place for a beginner to learn to cast. Simply put, you must be able to cast anywhere from 20 to 45 feet with accuracy and often into wind. What makes this different from saltwater fishing is that you won’t need to wash your tackle free of any salt – the bays of Lake Michigan are pure, freshwater.

Carp Fly Fishing - West and East Grand Traverse BayAs the water temperatures warm, some clients choose to wet-wade rather than wear waders. It is usually a good idea to be prepared for both, based on the ever-changing temperatures. Sometimes we need to wade above the belt and when the water is cool, well, you know.

Thanks to Dave Whitlock and his articles in Fly Fisherman magazine (“Golden Ghosts,” July 1998 and “Golden Ghost II,” September 2008) for bringing more attention to this great game fish and their possibilities with a fly rod.

I have introduced more than enough skeptical trout anglers to the carp through guiding. They were more than surprised at how much fun and challenging these goldenbones are to fish for — book a day and try it for yourself.

 

 

Carp Fishing Grand Traverse Bay - Photo Courtesy of R.A. Beattie
Wading Grand Traverse Bay
School of Carp Looking to Eat
School of Carp
Carp Fishing with a Fly Rod
Holding on

bass, current works, dave whitlock carp fishing, flats, fly-fishing for carp, flyfishing for golden bones, golden ghosts, grand traverse bay carp fishing, great lakes, guide, guided trip, kramer, smallmouth bass, ted kraimer, traverse city

Bobble Head Baitfish

Posted by Ted Kraimer - June 19, 2015
Bobble Head Baitfish Fly Pattern

Gray and White Bobble Head

This multi-species fly pattern is a variation of Jimmy Nix’s Shinabou, with the biggest difference being the head material. Rather than deer hair, the Bobble Head uses sheep hair and is trimmed somewhat bulbous, this – combined with its tendency to hold air, causes it to swim erratically during and after the strip.  When stopped, the fly rises slightly in the column while the current imparts movement on the long tail. The result is an alive, but wounded, baitfish look that predatory fish have a hard time resisting. The name of the fly comes from the action the pattern shares with bobble head dolls, often found on the dashboard of a car. Even at the stop light, the bobble head still moves.

Fishing the Bobble Head

Bobble Head Baitfish - Salmon

Baitfish Eating Salmon

There are a number of lines fly fishers can choose when using this pattern, but much of it depends on the type of water and species they are fishing.  In rivers with decent current, I like to use 30′ sink-tips with noticeably long pauses between strips.

When fishing lakes in depths 5-12′ deep, consider a clear sink-tip line and slow strip for a unique neutral suspension as you work weed lines, drop-offs and other forms of structure; this presentation can be deadly, but is more finesse fishing than most anglers accustomed to fishing large streamer patterns are comfortable doing.

If fishing deeper water in lakes, use bigger sink-tips and strip it back a little faster than the clear intermediate lines once you count the cast down to the depth you desire.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth Bass

In shallow water / flats, a floating line can be deadly,  but you will want to massage water into the fly first to keep it from floating on the surface.

I have used the Bobble Head Baitfish pattern for a number of species including trout, pike, musky, salmon, steelhead and bass.  By changing up the color scheme you can alter this pattern to look like other baitfish found in the water you fish, i.e. chub, perch, rainbow, brook or brown trout. If those don’t work, there are attractor colors/schemes such as chartreuse/white, firetiger, or yellow variations (for river smallmouth bass).

Recipe

Bobble Head Baitfish - Creek ChubHook:                  Mustad S74SNP #1
Thread:               Fly Master + –  White
Tail:                     Chinese Rooster Saddle
Flash:                  Angel Hair – Polar Ice
Foul Guard:       Bucktail – White
Body:                  Marabou – White
Wing:                   Marabou – Gray
Collar:                  Mallard Flank
Topping:              Peacock Herl
Head:                   Sheep Hair – White, Gray
Eyes:                   Holographic Silver – 1/4″
Lead:                   .035 Lead Wire

Tying Instructions:

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 1
Step 1.
  Using 2 -1/2″ of lead wire, wrap just off of center favoring the hook eye.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 2
Step 2.
  Match four saddle hackles so they are the same size and shape. Select long, wispy feathers
to provide maximum action and movement when fishing. Tie in two feathers on each side of the
hook – convex side facing out, extending beyond the hook bend 1-1/2 to 2 hook shank lengths.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 3
Step 3.
 Tie in a few strands of Angel Hair on each side and
trim so they don’t extend beyond the tail feathers. See note.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 4
Step 4.
 Tie in a small clump of bucktail to help prevent the tail feathers
from fouling the hook.  I happened to use white on the bottom and gray on top.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 5aBobble Head Baitfish - Step 5b

Step 5.  Select a full and long white marabou blood quill feather and tie in by the tip.
Wrap/Palmer through the body, stopping about a hook gape’s distance behind the eye.
Tie in a few strands of Angel Hair on each side of the hook.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 6
Step 6.
 Select a full and long gray marabou blood quill feather and tie
in on top of the hook extending approximately to half of the tail’s length.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 7
Step 7.
Tie in a mallard flank feather by the tip and wrap a collar by folding the fibers backwards.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 8
Step 8.
Tie in 6-8 strands of peacock herl extending just beyond the gray marabou.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 9aBobble Head Baitfish - Step 9b
Step 9.
Tie in a clump of white sheep hair on the bottom side of the hook, then, repeat on top with gray sheep hair.
After tying in, pull the butts backwards towards the bend of the hook and place a few wraps to encourage
the hair to stay there. You want the head to be tied in full because after trimming this will help provide
the shape and ultimately the movement of the fly – hence the name of the fly. Whip finish.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 10
Step 10.
Trim the sheep hair top and bottom so the butt ends of the hair transition to the natural tips.

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 11
Step 11.
Trim the sides of the sheep hair head so they are relatively flat – this serves as
a keel helping the fly to track while providing the preferred profile. (Photo is a top view)

Bobble Head Baitfish - Step 12aBobble Head Baitfish - Step12b
Step 12.
Apply a generous blob of Super Fabric Textile Adhesive where the sheep hair tie down section is.
Apply a 3-D Eye to each side of the fly and squeeze the adhesive into the sheep, head not only to
secure the eyes but also to stiffen and shape the head to help with profile and fly tracking.

Bobble Head Baitfish

Finished Bobble Head Baitfish Pattern – 4-1/2 inches long

Notes:

– When varying the pattern’s color, consider using natural or dyed grizzly feathers offering natural barring to the pattern.

– You can tie additional flash/Angel Hair into this pattern for dirty water or low light conditions but trim it away while on the water if need be.

Print This Page
bass, bass fishing baitfish pattern., bobble head baitfish fly pattern, bobblehead baitfish, fly tying, great lakes
Guide Trips - Fly Fishing Float Trips

Guide Trips & Pricing

Lessons - Learn to Fly Cast or Improve

Casting Lessons

Testimonials

Gift Certificate

Gift Certificates

Fish & Seasons

King Salmon Fly Fishing - Betsie River Near Traverse City

Salmon

Fall Steelhead Manistee River

Steelhead

Fly fishing for smallmouth bass Manistee River and Northern Michigan Lakes

Smallmouth Bass

Bluegill, Panfish and Bass Fly Fishing on Local Lakes Near Traverse City

Bluegill / Panfish / Bass

Trout Fishing Manistee River near Traverse City Michigan

Trout

Carp Fishing West Grand Traverse Bay

Golden Bones / Carp

Ted Kraimer • Current Works, LLC • PO Box 333 • Traverse City, Michigan 49685 • (231) 883-8156

© 2024 Current Works, LLC — All rights reserved
  • Home
  • Guide Trips & Pricing
  • Fishing Report
  • Fish & Seasons
  • Rivers & Hatches
  • Fly Tying
  • Articles
  • Gallery
  • About
  • Sitemap